What Does Manning Verdict Mean for Snowden?

7/30/2013 4:49PM

The Bradley Manning verdict will have a chilling effect on future whistleblowers, says Brennan Center for Justice Liberty and National Security Program Co-Director Elizabeth Goitein on the News Hub. She is joined by Pentagon correspondent Julian Barnes.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

... the ... they know three judge according private first class Bradley Manning of the most serious charge against him aiding the enemy ... will haf analysis right here right now on the New Saab good afternoon and welcome I'm Simon Constable ... joining me now on the vs day Pentagon correspondent Julian bonds and Elizabeth going ... all the cheesy co director of liberty and national security at the Brennan Center for Justice thank you both for joining us Rudy appreciate time ... Chile LME some with new new thing covering what's been going on here with that with Bradley Manning ... what was your ... take away a app ... from from hymnal being ... no being convicted of aiding the enemy ... well you are right to mix for ... the most serious charge aiding the enemy of there was a ... little I'm not to judge it set up a low bar prompted want people ... to think that there could be a conviction on that ... um but she she ... now ... she did convict him auto whole host of other charges ... and reading and likely facing ... decades in prison this is ... our ... duty and the most ... the biggest conviction of a large shoes leaker alum ... of ever meet ... um and and so while a mixed verdict of a lengthy sentence ahead from the attention when when we know this I'm saying is tomorrow will have live coverage of that ... on average on all has that comes out some Elizabeth ... Diq's and the government overreach with the obviating the enemy challenge that they've with there been better off not doing it because the optics of this up ... in some sense ... that the government last ... I think that's reading it the Government spelling out relevant this verdict for the reason you say the optics are I'm not good for the government ... of core is ... reading and will probably go to jail for a very very long time so I you know I don't think that the optics matter ... as much to him but he is the importance the acquittal is important because ... I'd conviction on the eating any charge would have really opened the door ... unto you add that frighteningly it's the end said ... the use of that lot at six am Alliance at posting things on the internet ... me ... and I know I was wet from the one about precedents for future ... trials future ... I it tends to convict I'm thinking Arafat would Snowden if he ever does get brought back to the US ... Sarah well in this is another case in a series of cases recently in which the judge has held ... that the government does not have to prove that fee on the part of the defendant ... in order to connect under the espionage Act ... and as recently as two thousandsix ... I there isn't really going the other way saying that that the government is happy to that fate ... so we are starting to see the case law ... giving depart from that and and increasingly judges are saying ... that a defendant's motive is irrelevant so that certainly has implications for Edward Snowden on it he cannot AEO Rees and the fact that his that he had no intent ... and to what extent do you think of that these these but it's an effective but it doesn't match that affects how people who see bad things happening ... in the millet re ... what what are they want to set of whistleblower one I if you'd like them I'm thinking of a few thing the meal I massacre back to the Vietnam War ... that fact came out so I'm what such things of what I've come out ... with some schools in the half ... of the wood in the meantime protections now ... absolutely it's going to have a chilling effect on people who see evidence of government misconduct in and what to do something about it if that evidence is classified if it's improperly classified ... until still feel that there really in a fine ... I'm actually not sure that the ruling will have that much of an effect on the people we once ... had to send a strong message you who are dead the actual size in the actual treaters ... because those are the people who have declared war against the United States and who ... I probably willing to risk ... at ... the of ... criminal prosecution ... so yes sadly I think it's really more likely to have an effect on the whistleblowers with Jillian bonds of The will Street gentle we thank you Brian much and ... Elizabeth going to you hope the Brennan Center we thank you very much to ...